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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Limoncello - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make Limoncello as a gift for friends. Lemons, bought in quantity, are relatively inexpensive throughout the year, so I'm not seasonally tied to its preparation. I have several recipes for the liqueur, but I usually end up using one developed by Giada De Laurentis because it is simple to make and is ready to drink in days rather than months. While many drink Limoncello out of hand, I prefer to dilute it and serve it over ice. Its main purpose in our house is to use as an ingredient in cheesecake and other lemon desserts. I am "brewing" a bottle now to use in a cheesecake that I plan to make for the Easter holiday. If you like Limoncello you know the only thing that can spoil it is too much sugar. I've cut back on the amount of sugar that was called for in the original recipe. I also use 100 proof vodka. Anything less than that will freeze and you don't want that to happen. Here's the recipe that I use to make homemade Limoncello. You might want to consider it as an aperitif for Passover or Easter.

Ingredients:10 large lemons1 (750-ml) bottle 100 proof vodka3-1/2 cups water2 cups sugarDirections:1) Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons in long strips (reserve lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim white pith away from lemon peels; discard pith. Place lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour vodka over peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep for 4 days at room temperature.2) Stir water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour sugar syrup over vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard peels. Transfer limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month. Yield: 7 cups.

Oh Mary, this recipe sure comes in handy! We just returned from Italy and I wanted to buy limoncello there and I never got around to it (if you can believe that.) but I can follow this recipe plus my friend has a lemon tree in her backyard and she had previously offered some lemons.

I am a reader from New Zealand.I would love to make my own Limoncello but I am not sure what you mean by 100 proof vodka.Is it a normal store bought vodka eg Absolut,Smirnoff etc?Would appreciate your feedback and thank you.

Mary> what could be simpler and more delicious. Who needs those nasty sodas when you can make something so fresh and delicious. I tried a pre-made one and didn't like it.. this has got to be a zillion times better..thanks!

I still have a couple of bottles of Limoncello I made last year, I preferred making it with the traditional method, 40 days infusion in 95% pure alcohol, and then added the syrup. I love it as a digestive, but also use it in fruit salads and cakes. Beautiful picture.

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I just discovered Limoncello. I don't usually like sweet drinks so didn't try it. Well, I love it and now after reading this I love it even more. Less sugar is a good thing.

shereen, I'm glad you found us. Proof is a measure used by distillers to identify how much alcohol there is by volume in an alcoholic beverages. It can always be found on the label. In the case of vodka there are two types - 80 or 100. 100 proof alcohol will burn if lit with a match. That amount of alcohol will also keep it from freezing. Smirnoff and Stolichanaya are 100 proof. Only absolute in the black bottle is 100 proof.

The last two years I have made Limoncello, but I call it Mellocello because I add vanilla beans to the beginning. It gives such a great flavor. I usually start in October so it is ready for Christmas:)

This looks wonderful Mary! I've been wanting to try Limoncello for years and have never been able to find it in stores. I live in a dry county and the next county over doesn't sell too much liquor either. This recipe is great because I know I can find the ingredients needed and make it myself! Thanks for sharing:D

Not just a Pink SAturday visit, but I fell in love with the recipes and am now a follower! Come over for a visit, there's more than poems going on and enter my giveaway!Valriehttp://poemsmyway-valrie.blogspot.com

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